Roll crimping machines



March 8, 1960 TURNBULL ETAL 2,927,413

ROLL CRIMPING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet.1

Filed March 24, 1958 u m we mMM A &. a w w sh E m F. \B u M6 70 A T g 0 0 T W 4 Mi an. a m

lllli United rates ROLL cnrMPrNo Macrrmns Roger F. Turnbull andGeorge E; Lamb, Hoquiam, Wash, assignors to Lamb GraysHarbor 03., Inc., Hoquianr, Wash.

Appiication March 24, 1958, Serial No. 723,262

9 Claims. (Cl. 53380) This invention relates to improvements in machines which, in the industry to which they pertain, are known as roll crimping machines; such machines being typified by those which are disclosed in US. patents issued to H. C. Bryans under Nos. 2,533,993 and 2,660,848.

It is common in the paper manufacturing industry to make paper in continuous strips and to wind the strips into large rolls. Wrappers of heavy paper are then wound on the rolls for their protection during shipment and storage. These wrappers, when first applied, extend several inches beyond the ends of the rolls. The extended end portions are then inwardly crimped and flattened against the end surfaces of the rolls. Finally, heavy paper disks are applied to the ends of the rolls and glued to the inwardly crimped ends of their wrappers thus to secure them and the wrappers in place.

Originally, crimping of the ends of the wrapper against the end faces of a roll was done manually but in later years it has been done mechanically, as for example, by use of machines which are likeor of the character of those disclosed in the above numbered patents.

In the crimping operation as performed either by hand or by machine, the extended end portions of the wrapper are formed into a successionof relatively short folds or crimps which, as they are formed, are flattened against the end surfaces of the'rolls; each-fold slightly overlapping with the next previously formed fold.

Machines now'being used for the crimping or'fold forming operation are so designed asto form all of the individual crimps or folds to exactly the same length as measured in a direction circumferentially of the rolls. This is quite satisfactory if the perimeter of the rollcan be equally dividedby the circumferential length of a crimp, butinthe eventthat itcannot, then there will be a short crimp at the end ofthe operation and the formation of this by the machine sometimes results in crumpling or tearing the final crimp. Such an imperfection in the crimping is not desirable for reasons: well known in the industry;

It willbe' understood that'- in the formation of the individualfolds oracrimps by handthe workmancan complete any crimping operation by making a longer or shorter crimp as may be desired, but a machine whichis designed to make all crimps the same length does not automatically'adjust itself to'take care of the particular length that may berequired to finish 'a crimping'operation.-

The fact that all crimps or foldsare formed to the same length by machines'presently in use is due to the fact that the wrapped paper roll as disposed in the machine forcrimping is supported at: least in part by a driven roller which also drives the crimping heads and no provision ismade for varying thespeedof the crimping heads relative to the speed'ofthepaper roll supporting and turning roller, nor is any provisionrnade whereby the speed of the crimping heads may be adjusted in accordance with theperimeter of the paper roll..

-In view of the above mentioned undesirable result in 2,927,413 .i a'iented Mar. 8, 19$0 the use of present day crimping machines, it has been the primary object of this invention to provide a crimp form' previously mentioned patents to Bryans, and which is equipped with a practical means for so controlling the speed of operation of the crimping heads that the length of crimps formed thereby, as measured in the circumferential direction of the roll, can be made equally divisible into the perimeter of the paper roll, and thus crumpling or. tearing of the wrapper by the making of a short final crimp will be avoided.

More specifically stated the objects of this invention reside in the provision of a crimp forming machine of the character of those of the above identified Bryans patents and wherein provision has been made for driving the crimping heads at variable speed in order to adapt them for the crimping of rolls of various diameters; that is, to adjust them in accordance with the perimeter of the particular roll being crimped in order to form individual folds or crimps that are exactly of the same length and also are equally divisible into the perimeter of the roll being wrapped and crimped.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts and in the means for varying the speed of operation of the crimping heads to suit the perimeter of the paper roll, as willhereinafter be fully described. 7

In accomplishing the above mentioned and. other objects of the invention, we have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a top view of a machineon which paper rolls are adapted to be supported forwrapping and for crimping in accordance with the objects of the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a side view of themachine as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlargedcross-section, taken on line 33 in Fig 2 showing a finished wrapper crimping operation as performed on a supported roll of paper.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken on line 4=-4 in Fig. 1 showing .a crimping head as mounted on the roll supporting and driving roller.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

It is to be understood that in the present specification, the word fperimeter is to be considered as the circumferential distance about the paper roll with wrapper applied thereto, and the individual crimps or folds as made by the crimping heads are the inturned end portion of the roll wrapper which are designated by'reference character fin Figs. 3 and 5. a 1

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. 1, 10 and 11 designate a pair of rollers, of the same diameter, mounted in. parallel relationship and atthe same horizontal level, for the support thereon of a wrapped roll of paper for crimping; a paper roll being indicated in this view in dash lines and designated by reference numeral 12. The two rollers, 10 and 11, have supportingtrunnions 13 at their opposite ends whereby they are mounted for rotation in bearings designated by numeral 14. At one end of the machine, the trunnions extend-through and beyond the bearings 14 and are there equipped, respectively, with driving gears lS'and 16 of the same diameter. A smaller gear wheel 17, keyed or otherwise fixed on and driven by a shaft 18 is located. between and is in operative mesh with gears l5.'and 16',v

its end surfaces. This view also shows the crimping head as employed at the near end of the paper roll and the completed crimp as performed by the crimping head.

Crimping heads are mounted on the opposite end portions of the roller 11 and are adjustable thereon toward and from each other to accommodate paper rolls 12 of various lengths, by means presently described. The crimping heads are alike in construction and mode of operation and therefore the description as applied to the Zhogving of the head in Figs. 3 and 4 will apply equally to It is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 that the roller 11 is cylindrical and smooth surfaced, and mounts the crimping heads thereon. Each head comprises a short cylindrical mounting hub 25 that is slidable along the roller 11 and also is relatively rotatable thereon. The hub is equipped between its ends with an encircling driving ring gear 26. At its inner end the hub mounts the fold orcrimp forming elements of the crimping head thereon as will presently be described, and at its outer end is equipped with a hub encircling shifting ring 27 from which an arm 28 extends laterally for a purpose presently explained.

Extending parallel to roller 11 and substantially to the full length of the machine, as noted best in Fig. l, is a drive shaft 30 for the crimping heads. This shaft is supported near its opposite ends, for rotation, in bearings 3132, and at a medial point in a bearing 33: At one end, shaft 30 has a direct connection, as seen in Fig. 1, with the drive shaft 35' of a variable speed reducer 35 which is driven by a chain belt connection 36 with the motor driven shaft 18. Slidably keyed on the drive shaft 30, at the inside of the bearings 31--32, are gear wheels 40 and 41 which are maintained, respectively, in driving mesh with the driving ring gears 26 of the two crimping heads. The gears 40 and 41 are of the same diameter as also are the two ring gears 26. Therefore, the hubs of the crimping heads will be rotated at the same speed and in the same direction.

It is also shownthat the hub portions 40' and'41' of the gears 40 and 41, respectively, have fixed rotary connection with the outer ends of the laterally extending arms 28 of the shifting rings 27 as applied to the outer ends of the hubs of the crimping heads, thus with the shifting of the crimping heads on roller 11 as made to accommodate paper rolls 12 of different lengths, the gears 40-41 are shifted on shaft 30 accordingly to maintain their driving relationship to the hub driving gears 26-26.

Each crimping head, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a plurality of blade-like elements 46 that are fixed to and extend outwardly from a flange 25:: formed on the inner end of the hub 25. The elements 46 are alike in size and shape and also are disposed in the same plane, which is perpendicular to the axis of roller 11. The segmental elements 46 are equally spaced thus to provide recesses 48 between them. The crimp forming elements 46, which may be more or less in number than herein shown, are adapted, when the head is properly positioned relative to the end of a wrapped roll 12 and is rotated at a certain predetermined speed, to successively engage projecting end portion of the roll wrapper and form a crimp or fold of a definite length; the individual folds, as formed being pressed flatly against the end of the roll 12, as has been illustrated in Fig. 4.

Applicants make no claims to the crimping heads, per se, or to the elements thereof and contemplate that, insofar as the formation of the individual folds or crimps is concerned, the operation may be the same as performed by the devices of the patents previously mentioned.

In order to adjust the spacing of the crimping heads to rolls of various lengths, we provide an adjusting shaft 50 extending parallel to and directly below the roller 11; this shaft being mounted at its ends for rotation, in supporting bearings 51-52 and in an intermediate bearing 53. Mounted on opposite end portions of this shaft, which are equipped with right hand and left hand threads as shown at 54 and 55 in Fig. 2, are nuts 56 and 57, which have shifting connections, as "at 58 and 59 with the head shifting collars 27 as applied to the hubs 25. These nuts also have laterally extending arms 60 with sliding connections, as at 61 in Fig. 3, with a stabilizing shaft 62 that is mounted parallel to shaft 50. Rotation of shaft 50 for making endwise adjustments of the heads, is effected through a chain belt connection 65 with a sprocket wheel 65 fixed on one end of shaft 50. Chain belt 65 may be adjusted or driven by any suitable means for turning shaft 50 to make a quick outward or inward adjustment of the crimping heads.

With the wrapper crimping machine so constructed, it is used as follows: A wrapper is first applied to the paper roll 12 and the wrapped roll is then rolled or-otherwise advanced to a position adjacent and parallel to the carrier rolls 10 and 11. At this time the crimping heads are adjusted in spacing as may be required to suit the length of the roll, that is, each is adjusted to allow a small gap between the crimping head and the paper roll proper, providing enough space for a proper crimp and yet not so tight as to shear the end of the wrapper from the roll. When this adjustment has been made, the paper roll is rolled into the rollers 10 and 11. The action of the roll entering the machine puts the first fold on each end of the roll. The machine is then started. The variable speed reducer 35, having been adjusted to the required driving speed in consideration of the perimeter of roll 12, to form crimps of a length that can be equally divided into said perimeter, is simultaneously set in operation to rotate the crimping heads as the rollers 10 and 11 rotate the paper roll 12. i

The machine then operates to successively form the folds or crimps of equal length, finishing the crimping operation as shown in Fig. 3. Once the crimping heads are properly adjusted for a certain length of paper roll,

7 they need not be readjusted until the length of roll is changed.

The present improvement in crimping machines eliminates the formation of short folds or crimps, and thus eliminates crumpling or tearing which is one of the major wrapper troubles.

The gist of the invention resides mainly in the provision of means operable in conjunction with the paper roll driving roller 11 for accurately adjusting the speed of turning of the crimping heads in accordance with the perimeter of the roll being crimped so that all folds are of a length equally divisible into the roll perimeter.

What we claim as new is:

1. In a machine for crimping the projecting end por tion of a wrapper against the end of a paper roll, or the like, about which said wrapper has been applied; means for supporting said wrapped roll for axial rotation, and means for rotating it at a uniform speed for crimping operation, a rotatably mounted crimping head comprising crimp forming elements that are adapted to engage with the extended end portion of said wrapper as the roll and crimping head are rotated, to form said extended end portion into a succession of overlapping crimps, means for driving said crimping head at a uniform speed to cause all crimps to be formed in equal lengths, and means for adjusting the driving speed of said crimping head in accordance with the diameter of the wrapped roll to cause the individual crimps to be formed by said forming elements in a length that is equally divisible into the perimeter of the wrapped roll.

2. The machine recited in claim 1 wherein the means for rotating said wrapped roll comprises a driven shaft and wherein the driving means for said crimping head is directly driven from said driven shaft and includes therein a variable speed mechanism for adjusting the length of the individual crimps.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the means for supporting said wrapped roll for rotation comprises a pair of laterally spaced rollers, parallel with said roll and upon which it rests, and wherein said roll driving means comprises a motor driven shaft that is operatively connected to each roller to turn them in the same direction, and wherein said crimping head driving means has a direct connection with said motor driven shaft and includes therein a variable speed unit for adjusting the rate or" turning of said head.

4. In a machine for crimping the projecting end prtion of a wrapper against the end of a roll to wh ch said wrapper has been. applied; said machine comprising a rotatably supported roller against which said wrapped roll rests, parallel thereto for its support and for rotation thereby, means for driving said roller for turning the wrapped roll at a uniform speed during a crimping operation, a wrapper crimping head mounted coaxially on and for rotation about said roller, means for rotating said crimping head at a uniform speed for a crimping operation; said crimping head having crimp forming elements thereon that are adapted to functionally engage with the extended end portion of the roll wrapper, as the head and wrapped roll are rotated, to form said extended end portion into a succession of individual crimps, and means associated with the driving means for said head for adjusting the driving speed of the head in accordance with the diameter of the wrapped roll to cause alll crimps to be of equal angular extent and of a length that is equally divisible into the periphery of the wrapped roll.

5. In a machine for crimping the projecting end portion of a wrapper against the end of a roll about which said wrapper has been applied; said machine comprising a pair of parallel carrier rollers supporting said wrapped roll thereon, means for positively driving said carrier rolls in the same direction at a uniform speed for axially turning said wrapped roll for a crimping operation, a crimping head mounted on one of said driven rollers for its axial rotation thereon at various speeds and for adjustment longitudinally on the roller to and from roll crimping position relative to a supported roll, a plurality of crimp forming elements carried by said crimping head in equal angular spacing thereabout, and successively engageable with the projecting end portion of the roll wrapper, as the said crimping head and wrapped roll are rotated, to form it into a succession of individual crimps of the same length, a drive shaft that is common to said carrier rolls and to said crimping head, and a driving connection between said shaft and said crimping head including therein a variable speed reduction unit whereby the driving speed of the head may be adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the wrapped roll as required to cause all crimps to be of equal extent and in a length that is equally divisible into the periphery of the roll wrapper.

6. The combination recited in claim wherein said crimping head comprises a collar that is mounted on its carrier roller for rotation coaxially thereof and independently of the rate of rotation of said roller, and is shiftable lengthwise thereon for its adjustment into and from crimping relationship to the end of the wrapped I011, a ring gear fixed to and encircling said collar, a

drive shaft, a pinion gear keyed to said shaft and meshing with said ring gear to drive the crimping head and a shifting ring applied about said collar of the crimping head and to the hub of said pinion gear to maintain their intermeshed connection upon shifting the crimping head, and means for moving said shifting ring to move the nut along the threaded shaft effects a corresponding movement of the crimping head along the roller'on which it is mounted.

8. A machine for crimping the projecting end portions of a wrapper against the end surfaces of a roll to which said wrapper has been applied; said machine comprising a pair of parallel carrier rollers supporting said wrapped roll thereon, a driving means for said rollers whereby they may be rotated in the same direction for rotation of said roll, crimping heads mounted on one of said carrier rolls for axial rotation thereon and for adjustment therealong into and from crimping position relative to a supported roll; each crimping head comprising a cylindrical hub portion rotatably fitted to and slidable on the mounting roller, a plurality of crimp forming elements mounted on each of said hubs in equal angular spacing thereabout and successively engageable with the projecting end portions of the wrapper as the heads and roll are rotated to form a succession of crimps of equal extent, a drive shaft for the carrier rolls, a driving connection between said shaft and said crimping heads, including a variable speed unit whereby the driving speed of the heads may be adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the wrapped roll as may be required to cause all crimps to be of equal extent and in a length that is equally divisible into the periphery of the roll, and means common to both crimping heads for shifting them into and from crimping position.

9. In a machine for crimping the projecting end portion of a wrapper against the end'of a wrapped roll in a number of crimps of equal angular extent; means for supporting and axially rotating the wrapped roll, a crimping head mounted for axial rotation in crimp forming relationship to said roll for forming crimps of equal extent in the projecting end portion of the wrapper, means for driving the crimping head, and control means for varying the relative speeds of rotation of the roll and crimpinghead to provide crimps of predetermined uniform size on a given roll irrespective of the diameter of the roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,215,174 Dyken Sept. 17, 1940 2,368,213 Gerlach Jan. 30, 1945 2,638,725 Hurter et a1. May 19, 1953 2,831,304 Michaud Apnf 22, 1958 

